Polaroid unveils new identity to bring more clarity to brand

Polaroid hopes the refreshed look will reclaim the colour spectrum as uniquely Polaroid and help create a more unified brand.

Polaroid Originals is dropping ‘Originals’ and returning to its original name as part of a rebrand that aims to bring more clarity to Polaroid and what it stands for.

After 18 months of work, all of Polaroid’s global activities and products will now be unified under a much more “modern and dynamic” logo centred around its unique colour spectrum.

“One element [of the rebrand] was to bring clarity to people so that the confusion we had around Polaroid and Polaroid Originals was going to be way more clear that we are one Polaroid,” Polaroid’s brand director, Ozlem Birkalan, tells Marketing Week.

“In parallel, we also wanted to really clearly define our place in the current cultural context: we are even more relevant today than we were in the past. Back then people were excited about our products because people could see a picture develop instantly in front of them.

What we’re trying to do at the moment is give some meaningful perspective to our community on our channels.

Ozlem Birkalan, Polaroid

“In this disposable culture we live in, Polaroid now stands for the meaning that it brings in that you can capture and keep looking at it forever. The brand brings lots of connection, creativity and positive perspective in people’s lives.”

In addition to making its position clearer for people to understand, Polaroid is hoping the rebrand will help boost brand love among existing customers and, importantly, bring in new fans.

“Polaroid has always been a brand that people love and we would love to continue to be a loved brand,” Birkalan says. “We will look at how our existing fans continue to be more engaged with the brand. But also bringing more fans to the brand is going to be an important measure so we will be looking at brand awareness and talkability the rebrand brings.”

Polaroid sees itself playing a “meaningful” role during the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the coming weeks it will host an evolving programme of creative content and ask its creative community to suggest ideas and share Polaroid photographs on its channels.

“What we’re trying to do at the moment is give some meaningful perspective to our community on our channels,” Birkalan explains. “As a brand we’re trying to support our community with different activities as we go along. Hopefully they find inspiration and creativity with us to cope with these times.”

In spite of the pandemic, Polaroid has decided to go ahead with the launch of its new Polaroid Now instant camera, which is available from today (26 March).

The Now camera range will be available at launch for a limited time in each of Polaroid’s five rainbow colours: red, orange, yellow, green and blue, alongside the classic black and white cameras, which will continue to be the core colourways.

The rainbow spectrum will also weave through the brand’s offering with the launch of its new special edition instant film, ​Colour Wave​, which features a host of blue, orange and red hues.

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